Google Tag Manager Update: What You Need to Know About the Upcoming Data Processing Change

A vital update could impact your data flow to Google Ads if you use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to manage your website tags. Starting April 10, 2025, Google is changing the order in which GTM sends data to Google Ads to improve data tracking reliability and centralise settings for features like enhanced conversions. Let’s break down what’s changing and why it matters.

Current Process

Right now, when your website sends data (events) to Google Ads via GTM, these events are sent before the main Google tag loads. While this process works, it’s not as efficient or reliable as possible.

What’s Changing On April 10, 2025?

With the new update, GTM will first load the main Google tag, and only after that will it send data to Google Ads. Here’s what this change means for you:

• Improved Data Tracking: The new order makes data processing more reliable, reducing the risk of missed or incomplete data.
• More Data for Google Ads: This update could increase the amount of usable data Google Ads receives by optimising how data is sent, which could improve ad performance and targeting.
• Easier Feature Management: Centralised settings simplify the process of enabling powerful tools like enhanced conversions.
• Automatic User Data Collection: If you’ve already agreed to the relevant terms with Google, user data collection will be enabled automatically, streamlining the setup process.

Why This Matters

These changes are a big deal for businesses relying on accurate tracking and reporting to optimise ad campaigns. By improving how data is handled, the update ensures better insights and potentially boosts the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns. Plus, the simplified setup makes taking advantage of advanced features easier without additional manual configuration.

What You Should Do

To prepare for this update, review your current GTM setup and ensure your website tags are correctly configured. If you haven’t already enabled enhanced conversions or agreed to the user data collection terms, now is a good time to review these options to maximise the benefits of the upcoming changes.

This update is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to refine data tracking and improve the tools available to advertisers. Understand how these changes can benefit your campaigns to stay ahead of the curve.

Contact Our Experts for Digital Marketing Strategy

Get in touch with our team of Digital Marketing Strategy specialists with the knowledge and know-how to fully optimise your social media and website, allowing you to enhance the number of leads and conversions your business gets.

Call our team on 0121 439 5450; alternatively, fill out our contact form.

Share